A boil water notice has been lifted for people living in Pismo Beach according to the County of San Luis Obispo Officials say the State Division of Drinking Water authorized the cancellation around noon on Saturday after extensive testing confirmed that the drinking water supply was safe The county's Public Works Department reports that residents can return to using their tap water for ordinary purposes without taking any further action Restaurants can also return to normal operations if they follow Environmental Health Department guidance The announcement comes after the order was lifted for residents of Arroyo Grande and customers of the San Miguelito Mutual Water Company on Friday afternoon the county is continuing to work with its partner agencies to investigate the cause of the singular test result that triggered Wednesday’s order The current investigation is expected to take 30 days to complete county representatives say drinking water remains safe for consumption and is under regular water quality sampling San Luis Obispo County Director of Public Works John Diodati wrote about the affects of the boil water notice in a press release published on Saturday “I recognize the last few days have been extremely impactful for our Five Cities communities," Diodati said and through strong collaboration and coordination with the state we were able to quickly implement preventative safety measures.” Diodati also emphasized that the drinking water is safe and will be monitored and regularly tested as the county works toward identifying the source that caused the event we will share information with the public on what we know and what measures we will take to prevent this from happening again," Diodati said County Board of Supervisors Chair and District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg added that the county alert system was critical in keeping the public safe The boil water notice was issued on Wednesday after testing on water samples repeatedly found the presence of coliform bacteria in the Lopez Water Distribution System According to the Public Works Department, one sample showed the presence of E. coli. County officials explained on Friday that the communities of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach reportedly tested negative during the boil water notice; however they remained connected to the Lopez Water Distribution System requiring the notice to stay in place in those areas until Saturday The boil water notice remains for Pismo Beach and Avila Beach while it has been lifted for the communities of Arroyo Grande While the other communities turned off their supply of Lopez Lake water and instead are relying on ground water Pismo Beach and Avila Beach require Lopez Lake water to meet demands Pismo Beach’s well is under maintenance and unable to meet the city’s water demands coli contamination was detected in treated water from Lopez Lake the county issued a boil water order for Arroyo Grande The bacteria was discovered during routine testing The water is contaminated through a transmission line Crews are estimating the boil water notice for Pismo Beach and Avila Beach will be lifted on Saturday The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com.  Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not.   Comment Guidelines   Editor Bill Loving Reporter Karen Velie, (805) 234-1703 Reporter Josh Friedman Founder Daniel Blackburn Tip Your Team tips@calcoastnews.com Advertise ads@calcoastnews.com Moderator moderator@calcoastnews.com Site Issues admin@calcoastnews.com An exploding squirrel population is leading to rapid bluff erosion and damaging parks in Pismo Beach leading the City Council to discuss options such as poison small gas chambers and shooting the rodents the city stopped using bait to control the squirrel population because of the danger of other animals eating the poison squirrel tunnels have accelerated bluff erosion and contributed to bluff failures city staff suggested several options to reduce the squirrel population: the City Council directed staff to do what they think is best Tunneling rodents can do a great deal of damage… its not wrong to lessen their population… you all do that in your own yards… I guarantee the tree squirrel in the photo is not eroding the bluffs Good luck with those mammalian cockroaches it’s another place to spend a million taxpayer dollars Put up owl boxes and let the birds take care of it Oh and actually fine people for feeding the squirrels let’s fine every person who decides to grow a veggie garden in their back yard God forbid you have an established apple tree in your back yard …no one is growing apple trees or gardens on the public property bluffs where “squirrel treatment” occurs feed the squirrels their processed snacks and scraps… Easy food means lots of reproduction the population then explodes and erodes the bluffs Animals eating food in the wild isn’t the same as them being “fed” lol Before all the hand wringing about condors there were hundreds of us shooting squirrels by the bushel most every weekend over half my rifle collection were built solely for long range varmint shooting who managed to get lead hunting ammo banned varmints of all specie have exploded in numbers good accurate “lead free” .22 rimfire ammo doesn’t exist but it just doesn’t shoot very accurately unless you have a very custom barrel made and fitted to your receiver nearly all centerfire ammo would not be appreciated near housing The state changed the nature of hunting legislation making shooting ground squirrels part of the hunting regulations forcing you to get an annual or seasonal license The same as they did for wild pigs…which used to be classified as varmints The state used to offer a tail bounty on squirrels Thanks to people “saving the planet” also resulting in varmint populations exploding Which now leaves poisons (which nobody likes) propane detonations (which only appeals to the person doing the detonations) and flooding (which violates all sorts of municipal codes) Thank the people that saved the earth…..from something Around 200 motorcycles are expected to gather Saturday morning at the Santa Maria Airport The California State Rally is being put on by local members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association "We want to let our community know that we're here We also raise money to help local communities with their events whatever is needed," says Patrick "Reaper" Weart member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association Organizers say the inaugural event will raise funds for local charities and veterans in need The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association says that veterans are traveling from across the state to take part in the event To learn more, become a member or donate, click here for more details Local restaurants started Saturday morning expecting another day of water boiling "We went out and bought a bunch of boiled water," Kristin Hammer some good news came for business owners in the area: the boil water notice that had lasted for nearly four days in Pismo Beach and Avila Beach was finally lifted The official notice came out just after noon on Saturday just in time for a rush of lunchtime visitors says that the order being lifted makes her job simpler we couldn’t use [the water]," Cabrera said Customers say they were also relieved when they heard the announcement which means we can get our cocktails served nice and fast.” More information about the boil water notice update can be found here A boil water notice has been lifted for the communities of Arroyo Grande and customers of the San Miguelito Mutual Water Company According to the County of San Luis Obispo testing by county and State Water Resources Control Board officials has found that the water is safe to drink in those areas The order remains in place for Pismo Beach and Avila Beach The boil water notice was issued on Wednesday after testing on water samples repeatedly found the presence of coliform bacteria in the Lopez Water Distribution System county officials explained that the order was being lifted for the four areas above because those communities were able to isolate their water systems from the Lopez Water Distribution System and use other water sources and those sources tested negative for bacterial contamination during the entire time that the boil water notice was in effect The communities of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach have also reportedly tested negative during the boil water notice but they remain connected to the Lopez Water Distribution System requiring the notice to remain in place in those areas County officials said that tests of the Lopez Water Distribution System were negative on Friday which means the notice could be lifted on Saturday if samples taken on that day are also negative Those who remain under the boil water order are advised to use bottled water or boil their water following these instructions: County officials say they will alert affected residents by Reverse 911 and AlertSLO when the boil water notice is lifted.Click here to sign up for text message and email alerts through AlertSLO Officials with the State Water Resources Control Board are working with local agencies to determine the cause of the contamination The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department says it has not received any reports of E The state lifted the boil water notices for the communities of Pismo Beach and Avila Beach at noon on Saturday Grover Beach and Oceano were lifted on Friday “Residents can return to using their tap water for ordinary purposes without taking any further action,” according to San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department “Restaurants can return to normal operations if they follow Environmental Health Department guidance” The water was contaminated through a transmission line The county is investigating the cause of the contamination Could be from the Grand Ave UG construction And still no word on what officials have ruled out as to the cause Either something failed or regular maintenance was missed… Certainly wasn’t malicious; decency forbid either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content which applies to the region's "Five Cities" area is expected to remain in place through Sunday as authorities continue testing and monitoring The affected communities include Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach and Avila Beach—collectively served by the Zone 3 water system. Census data estimates roughly 46,000 people live across the five cities. Residents are being advised not to drink tap water unless it has been boiled for at least one minute due to the presence of coliform bacteria detected in multiple water samples Although the presence of coliform bacteria does not necessarily make the water unsafe to drink it can indicate that other bacteria like E The detection of coliform bacteria has prompted state county and local officials to conduct additional testing to ensure the water is safe to drink people in the affected areas should boil their water before drinking it The bacteria was detected in water samples collected on April 28 and April 29 The findings prompted the State Water Resources Control Board County of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department County Health Department and the Lopez Project water system to advise customers in Pismo Beach and other cities serviced by the Zone 3 system to use bottled water or tap water that has been properly boiled for drinking and cooking purposes "We will inform you when tests show that the water is safe to drink We anticipate resolving the problem by Sunday Further instructions urge people to "be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering" and to "use caution when bathing babies and young children." Ice made from tap water should not be used the County of San Luis Obispo Public Works Department referred Newsweek to its most up-to-date press release "This is the first time a boil water notice has been triggered for the Lopez distribution system and we are still working to identify the cause," the update said "Representatives from the State Division of Drinking Water will be on site Friday Repeated positive samples of total coliform triggered a mandatory boil order by the State Division of Drinking Water The repeated samples the County is collecting are showing a downward trend of this contaminant." Pismo Beach City Manager Jorge Garcia said in a Facebook video that daily water testing in Pismo Beach showed normal levels but that the city is still following the county's advice when it comes to the advisory The city will remain under the boil water advisory until the county and state confirm that it is safe to consume the water infection usually begin three or four days after exposure to the bacteria But you may become ill as soon as one day after exposure to more than a week later which may range from mild and watery to severe and bloody .. Garcia said in the video about the advisory: "It's important not to count on filtered water as reliable way to consume the water Having a water filter or a reverse osmosis system is not sufficient." The county anticipates the issue will be resolved by Sunday. In the meantime, customers must either boil the water or treat it to make it safe by disinfecting it with bleach or tablets. Instructions on how to do so can be found on the Pismo Beach website and bottled water or boiled and then cooled water should be used for them Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all A boil water notice prompted by coliform bacteria contamination of the Lopez Lake water distribution system was lifted for all of San Luis Obispo County on Saturday Pismo Beach has lost its latest battle in a decades-long war over control of a residential property that sits between Highway 101 and Shell Beach Road A San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge on March 21 rejected the city’s argument that the homeowner’s plan to place a rainwater collection system on the 2.5 acre parcel was banned because it is a nonconforming use The determination will likely cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars for attorney fees and court costs Even though the property owner has changed the ongoing battle over what is permitted on the land that sits near the Cliffs Hotel and Spa appears never ending Mike Spangler purchased the vacant property and built his dream home Spangler then began submitting plans to the city seeking to build several additional homes on the property More than a decade after he bought the property the city asked Spangler to sign a deed restriction that would preserve the remaining portions of his property as open space The city asserted the land was classified as open space when Spangler purchased the property and that Spangler had agreed to the restrictions Spangler refused to sign the deed arguing it was overly restrictive The city then ordered Spangler to withdraw his development plans and sign the deed restriction or face $500 a day in fines while the city shut off his utilities A judge ruled the city had to turn Spangler’s utilities back on and set aside the fines The City of Pismo Beach and Spangler then entered into a settlement agreement in 2016 that included the city paying Spangler $100,000 and both parties recording a permanent easement establishing the boundaries of the open space on the property and future property rights where permitted to use an allocated 27,000 square feet of the property for “residential uses including buildings the current owner of the Shell Beach Road property applied for a permit for a rainwater collection system Not long after Grow purchased the property a fire jumped Highway 101 and encroached onto his land Firefighters used water from Grow’s hose to fill their water tanks to fight the blaze Grow plans to install the rainwater collection system and 10 water tanks for use for fire suppression and other outdoor water needs The city rejected his proposal saying his rainwater collection proposal wasn’t compliant with the general and local coastal plans Grow filed a lawsuit against the city arguing the project is permitted within the “developed area.” the city argued that Grow was seeking to “treat the ‘developed area’ as a regulation-free zone such that any improvements consistent with the underlying zoning are allowed by right.” San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen did not agree “The city’s argument is incongruous and ignores the authority under which it could impose the condition,” according to Judge van Rooyen’s ruling The city also argued “Grow’s position constitutes a ‘blanket approval of future development’ which contravenes the rule that a government may not bargain away its right to exercise its police power in the future.” the judge did not agree with the city’s assertion Judge van Rooyen found the city “overstated the nature of Grow’s request.” City officials have repeatedly voiced concerns that Grow is seeking the rainwater storage system with plans to apply for further development of the property which Grow finds to be a baseless argument “They’ve treated me very poorly,” Grow said “I think it is because they have raw wounds from Spangler living in that location I’d be more concerned about a truck jumping the guardrail and plowing through the house… Sounds like its time to fire city attorney Fleishmann for consistent bad advice the $2 million Ben Fine fiasco and now this I support small government and the prevention of government over reach Pismo threatening to disconnect his utilities is exactly why he should install rainwater collectors Perspective 24 says “ain’t no way rainwater is gonna fill ten 5000 gallon tanks…” wanna bet? I have two 500 gallon tanks on the side of my house and one 2650 gallon tank at the back of the house completely full of rainwater from just the first 2 storms this winter Rainwater catchment formula is 1 inch of rain falling on 1000 square feet of roof (including the eaves) gives you 620 gallons of rainwater The bigger the house and outbuildings the more rain you capture I really regret not having installed a couple of 5000 gallon tanks as my current tanks fill up so fast and the excess rain flows out the overflow pipe We use the rainwater for our garden and for fire suppression just like Mr You’d be surprised how fast you use water in the landscape Many rural homeowners in SLO county have numerous 5000 gallon rainwater catchment tanks daisy chained together I think it’s important to be at the very least be open to being wrong and admitting so when one is… If the numbers stated above are accurate… I was wrong One of those things where you’d think a lot more people would be doing it if it actually worked lol While the city clearly bungled this; ain’t no way rainwater is gonna fill ten 5000 gallon tanks for “fire suppression and other outdoor water needs” Well drilling companies are standing by… and someone’s nose is Grow-ing And we counter: Ain’t no watt wind and solar will make enough power for California at any given moment And we counter: Your info is out of date and Highly suspect… 92.5% of New Power Capacity Added Worldwide in 2024 Was from Renewables that an extension of the Bob Jones Trail was not planned… Can we finally put to rest the saying regarding government employees “We have to pay so much to get high quality people” time and time again prove outrageous compensation doesn’t mean you get qualified people He was an inspiration to many and very generous with his accomplishments maybe he should consider something that would require the State to permit and turn up the heat Local governance too often forgets who the property owner is One could argue a 10 foot wall would stop the distractive driving as people should pay attention to the road The San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department confirmed Thursday that coliform bacteria was detected in the Lopez Water Distribution System which provides water to the Five Cities area a boil water notice was issued to residents in Arroyo Grande and other customers of the San Miguelito Water Company (Zone 3) Public Works reported that routine water sampling found repeated positive samples of the bacteria “This is the first time we have found repeated levels of coliform bacteria in the Lopez distribution system that was above acceptable levels so this is unprecedented,” said Shelly Cone She added that state officials will be on-site this week to help determine the cause of the contamination follow-up sampling is immediately conducted until no evidence of contamination remains,” Cone said County officials said Thursday that continued testing is "showing a downward trend of this contaminant." The cities and community services districts under the boil water order are reportedly conducting their own water testing and officials said that the order could be lifted on a community-by-community basis WATCH: Public Works explains water testing procedures According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) coli infection include kids under the age of 5 Health officials say symptoms usually begin two to four days after drinking contaminated water people will get better at home without medical treatment but The CDC advises contacting a doctor if you experience the following symptoms: WATCH: Public Health doctor explains when to seek medical treatment People in the affected areas are advised to use bottled water or boil their water following these instructions: See the tip sheet below for additional information on safe water use during a boil water order: County officials say they will alert affected residents by Reverse 911 and AlertSLO when the boil water notice is lifted Click here to sign up for text message and email alerts through AlertSLO WATCH: Five Cities residents stock up on bottled water after boil water notice Residents in the Five Cities area should boil their water before drinking or food preparation after bacteria was found in the drinking water distribution system according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department The boil water notice affects people in Arroyo Grande County Public Works reports that routine sampling of the water found repeated positive samples showing bacteria resulting in a California State Water Resources Control Board violation People in the affected areas should use bottled water or boil their water following these instructions: officials suggest using household unscented liquid bleach following these instructions: Click hereto sign up for text message and email alerts through AlertSLO In a notice sent to Pismo Beach residents, officials said they expect the issue to be resolved by Sunday, May 4, or sooner. Pismo Beach City Manager Jorge Garcia also posted the following message to residents Wednesday evening on Facebook: A message from Arroyo Grande Mayor Caren Ray Russom on Instagram: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Caren Ray Russom (@caren_ray_russom) According to the Lucia Mar Unified School District the following schools and all district offices are affected by the boil water notice: It’s Cinco de Mayo, amigos! If you’re heading out to sip, salsa, or soak up the sun, here’s your forecastto help you plan the perfect celebration While the boil water notice issued on Wednesday by county officials was lifted on Friday in some parts of the Five Cities it still remains in place for Avila Beach and Pismo Beach KSBY News spoke with community members about how they are dealing with the ongoing public health issue “We haven't been able to use any water in the whole establishment,” said Avila Market employee Lyndsey Blaume Blaume says the ongoing boil water notice has impacted them County officials advise those who remain under the boil water order to use bottled water or boil their water But Blaume says boiling water at the market has been an inconvenience so everything we have to boil when it comes to our produce we have to boil the water first,” said Blaume It's just a lot of frustration with the customers as to why we can't give them coffee or water cups or anything of that sort." KSBY News talked to Peloton Cellars Winery and the tasting room attendant told us that they have had to use an electric skillet to boil water to clean their wine glasses “Every glass we wash has to go through that boiling water process,” said Jack Kesselring Peloton Cellars Winery Tasting Room attendant “And it adds at least 10 minutes to every single hour or so just to get the water boiled and instead of just using the sink So it gets really annoying really quickly.” and said she’s been boiling water at her home “It is an inconvenience a little bit,” said Zimmerman While a boil water order remains in effect for Avila Beach and Pismo Beach businesses are hopeful it will be over soon “I heard that it's getting better and a lot of the Five Cities area and so I'm just hoping we get the all clear soon,” said Kesselring county officials say they will alert affected residents by Reverse 911 and ALERTSLO a quick look at the top stories making headlines across the Central Coast today Add your event. Below is a press release from USA Today regarding their 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards naming Pismo Beach PISMO BEACH, Calif. – After a month-long national competition to see who is the best in travel, the votes have been tallied and USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards has officially named Pismo Beach (https://experiencepismobeach.com) the #1 Best Coastal Small Town in America The results were publicly announced on April 9 This national recognition celebrates the beauty and spirit of coastal communities The final results are published at 10best.usatoday.com Pismo Beach is no stranger to the USA Today competition coming in fifth place in 2023 and second place in 2018 for “Best Small Coastal Town” Neighboring town Morro Bay ranked #5 on this year's list with fantastic representation from San Luis Obispo County “This honor belongs to our entire community,” said Gordon Jackson the Director of Tourism and Events for the Pismo Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau “Our friendly locals and vibrant downtown make Pismo Beach the Classic California coastal experience and we’re thrilled to share it with the world.” USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards celebrate outstanding travel and lifestyle destinations across the U.S. with nominees selected by a panel of travel experts and winners determined by public vote Each category showcases beloved places and experiences that resonate with travelers offering trusted recommendations for exploring the best the country has to offer Pismo Beach is the epitome of a California beach town visitors get the perfect balance of excitement and tranquility Pismo Beach provides a serene getaway for all travelers Follow the adventures on Instagram and Facebook: @PismoBeachCA and facebook.com/PismoBeachCa/ News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information Pismo Beach has once again captured the spotlight earning a nomination for "Best Beach in California" in the 2025 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards You can vote daily through May 19 on the 10Best website Pismo Beach previously claimed the title of #1 "Best Coastal Small Town" in America earlier this year cementing its place as a favorite among travelers You can cast your vote and learn more at USA TODAY 10Best website April 23: A previous version of this article said Pismo Beach was nominated for Best California Beach Town The correct nomination is for Best Beach in California The initial incorrect information was relayed to KSBY in a press release by an advertising agency This article has been updated to reflect that San Luis Obispo County officials issued a boil water notice this week affecting the Five Cities area and Avila Beach Many of you reached out to our newsroom with questions about testing KSBY News spoke with the County Public Works Water Utilities Division manager who told us they test the water every week they conducted their routine sampling at the Lopez Water Distribution System on Monday and learned about the presence of bacteria in the water line a second test was conducted on Tuesday to determine if there was a false positive The county then notified the state division of drinking water which required the boil water notice on Wednesday “While it is a trigger for sending out the boil water notice it's an indicator it might not necessarily be dangerous itself but it's an indicator that something could be going on in the system,” said Nola Engelskirger Pop does what they call it in the industry That's what resulted in the boil water notice.” Engelskirger told me that county public works received a lot of calls on whether water filters were safe to use to remove bacteria She said commercial filters are not appropriate to use under the boil water notice “So we're using bottled water for our needs We're not doing any laundry until everything is back to normal.” Engelskirger says the state will be joining County Public Works on Friday for a full inspection of the pipeline to help identify the cause of the contamination For more information on how to prepare yourself and your family under a boil water notice, visit READYSLO.org. Some community members KSBY News caught up with in the Five Cities area voiced their opinions on the water boil notice that was issued on Wednesday “It was a little scary at first,” said Teri Booker One Pismo Beach resident told KSBY News the notice is an inconvenience but she has been able to boil water at her home We walked over to Pismo Brewing Company and spoke with a local resident who said she spent her Thursday morning searching for water so I had to go to multiple stores in order to find it,” said Teri Booker “And then I had to send my husband elsewhere to buy bleach Researchers are conducting testing on a pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore in Pismo Beach last week Officials with The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC) say it’s rare for these types of whales to be found ashore since they are a deep-diving The 10.5-foot carcass of the adult male whale at Pismo State Beach was first reported to TMMC’s response hotline by State Park rangers at around 8 a.m A necropsy to determine the cause of death was performed by around 20 researchers staff and volunteers from both TMMC and Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit (CICRU) While markings and cuts were found on the animal TMMC reports the injuries are likely due to the carcass rolling in the surf before washing onto the beach “No other significant findings were immediately apparent to scientists that could have contributed to the animal's death,” TMMC officials stated “Investigating a whale's death through necropsy provides critical insights into the overall health of these animals and their ocean environment with the goal of understanding how best to protect them,” said TMMC operations manager Aliah Meza in a press release “The opportunity to examine a pygmy sperm whale along the California coast is invaluable because it allows us to build important baseline data on this little-known species.” TMMC reports the last time their team responded to this type of whale was in San Mateo County in 2021 it’s said the pygmy whale's population status is largely unknown The whales are found all over the world in temperate and tropical waters and mainly feed on squid TMMC states the carcass will be left at Pismo State Beach to naturally decompose as that “provides a substantial source of food for small forage fish small land-based predators and nitrogen back into the ecosystem.” The complete decomposition process for smaller whales can take only a few weeks with the majority of the process happening quickly within the first few days following necropsy If you happen to see a sick or injured marine mammal you can contact The Marine Mammal Center at 415-289-SEAL (7325) You’re asked to stay at least 150 feet away from the animal - Pismo Beach businesses are banking the city's recent place atop a national poll of best small coastal cities in the nation will attract more visitors to the popular tourist destination Pismo Beach was named the number one Best Coastal Small Town in America in USA TODAY’s 2025 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards "We're excited that USA Today has recognized what all of us have always known which is Pismo Beach is an amazing place to be," said Jorge Garcia "We are now officially the country's best small coastal town  It's a great thing to be on that list and it's a validation and confirmation of all of the amazing investments that we've been doing." With the national attention the article brings to Pismo Beach local businesses are hoping it will boost the number of travelers who will visit the popular tourist destination "With this number one ranking of Pismo Beach we are hoping and we're praying that this brings lots more tourism to our businesses," said Denise Holt Wasson Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce Vice Chair/Vice President we wouldn't be able to thrive like we do and our chamber loves all of our businesses We promote all of our businesses for that very reason we're so excited to see what the future brings in for Pismo Beach." The honor comes two years after Pismo Beach earned a third place ranking in the same readers poll and a second place showing seven years earlier in 2018 Pismo Beach wasn't the only San Luis Obispo County city to earn a place on this year's top 10 list Morro Bay finished in fifth place in the poll "It's great for the county," said Jed Bickel Sea Crest Ocean Front Hotel General Manager they work really hard to collaborate and make sure that all the cities are represented It's a great thing about the cities in this county so that's something that the county works on collaboratively and we're really excited to see Morro Bay be right there with us It's just going to help the area as a whole."  the national recognition celebrates the beauty and spirit of coastal communities The coastal cities in the national rankings were selected by a panel of travel experts and winners were determined by public vote Dave Alley is a reporter and anchor at News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Dave, click here UPDATE (3/26): Pismo Beach police say Charles “Chuck” Fortner has been located and is safe He was reportedly found Thursday at around 12:42 p.m near 22nd Street and the Arroyo Grande Creek in Oceano While responsive and not appearing to be hurt police say the 64-year-old was taken to the hospital for evaluation and has been reunited with his family The search for Fortner began after he was last seen walking away from his home in Downtown Pismo Beach Police say they worked with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s search and rescue team County Office of Emergency Services and a cellular forensics team —ORIGINAL STORY: Pismo Beach police are asking for help locating a missing man Police say Charles "Chuck" Fortner was last seen Sunday evening in the Downtown Pismo Beach area Anyone with information is asked to call police at (805) 773-2208 Tags: Visit the archives… CA 93401PHONE/805/546-8208 • FAX/805/546-8641 Tags: (FOX26) — The carcass of a pygmy sperm whale washed up on Pismo State Beach on Friday and volunteers from The Marine Mammal Center and the Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit (CICRU) conducted a necropsy on the dead whale It was first reported by park rangers around 8 a.m and was identified as an adult male pygmy sperm whale measuring 10 1/2 feet [RELATED]PHOTOS: Massive sperm whale washes up on Alabama beach Operations Manager at The Marine Mammal Center "Investigating a whale's death through necropsy provides critical insights into the overall health of these animals and their ocean environment with the goal of understanding how best to protect them." Various tissue samples were taken for further pathology testing The team noted the whale had numerous skin abrasions likely caused by rolling in the surf before becoming stranded No other significant findings were immediately apparent are rarely seen ashore along the California coast due to their deep-diving nature The whale's remains will be left to decompose naturally on Pismo State Beach providing a food source for small forage fish The decomposition process typically takes a few weeks with the majority occurring rapidly in the first few days post-necropsy The public is encouraged to report sick and injured marine mammals to the Center by calling 415-289-SEAL (7325) and to maintain a safe distance of at least 150 feet from stranded marine animals Pismo Beach won the crown as the best small coastal town in the United States “Big cities have their perks, but these 10 coastal small towns — nominated by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best in the country — offer a calm and charm that is hard to find in more heavily populated areas,” according to USA Today. “Each one has a population of 25,000 or less and plenty of things to do both on and off the water.” Selected as the number one small coastal town Oceano Dunes and the award-winning boardwalk Top 10 top coastal towns towns in the United States i encourage all visitors to travel to pismo people love it there and are extremely disappointed when they visit places like cayucos If one of the categories was “paying too much for a city manager” PB’s manager is ranked 385 out of 582 city managers in California at 201k Most of the cities below Pismo are in areas that have a much cheaper cost of living Makes $29k less than the CM of Barstow where the median home price is $290,000 but that doesn’t alter the fact that Pismo’s CM is not over paid UPDATE (4:25 p.m.) - PG&E reports that power has been restored to more than 5,100 customers About 200 customers remained without power as of 4:15 p.m.___ UPDATE (12:24 p.m.) - According to PG&E the large outage affecting customers in San Luis Obispo and to the south was caused by a vehicle that crashed into a power pole on Orcutt Road between La Lomita Ranch and Avocado Lane PG&E crews are working to repair the broken pole and restore power.___ (11:25 a.m.) - Multiple power outages were affecting homes and businesses in the San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach areas on Wednesday were affecting a total of 5,347 customers as of 11 a.m The outages included areas near the SLO County Airport The airport was also affected but officials said they were able to remain open due to working generators affecting 70 customers along Highway 227 from just south of Tolosa Pl the power was shut off so crews could make an urgent repair PG&E expected service to be restored by 1 p.m To view or report outages in your area, visit the PG&E website When an emergency strikes in your community the choices you make could make a big difference "Moments matter in terms of what you bring with you and decisions you make about your safety," said Anita Konopa San Luis Obispo County OES Emergency Services Coordinator fires have really driven it home to people that as safe as you may feel in your home Konopa spoke to Pismo Beach residents at an Emergency Preparedness Resource Event on Wednesday about what to do and how to be better prepared for a natural disaster "Making sure people have an emergency pack ready to go at all times and also making sure you're ready if it happens while you're at work," she shared Pismo Beach Mayor Ed Waage says the city has already taken steps to make the community less prone to an uncontrolled blaze "We've done a lot of work in the county doing vegetation management We just completed half a million dollars in vegetation management in and around Pismo Beach," he said One Pismo Beach resident who attended the event believes being aware of potential natural disasters is crucial and has a simple message for her neighbors "Help yourself out - be prepared!" she said CAL Fire and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office all participated in the event which the city says it expects to hold more of in the future For information on how to prepare for an emergency and sign up for emergency alerts from San Luis Obispo County, click here More than 3,300 PG&E customers lost power in Pismo Beach on Friday afternoon power went out for 3,003 customers just south of Avila Beach to Mary Herrington Park The outage runs along the west side of the community The cause of the outages remains under investigation PG&E estimates power will be restored by 9:30 p.m An arson investigation is underway after a fire destroyed a structure at a Pismo Beach sports complex Friday Authorities said a fire broke out at the Pismo Beach Sports Complex early Friday morning they found the announcer's booth and equipment room — housed inside the same building — at Blair Field completely engulfed in flames Authorities said thanks to the quick actions of Cal Fire firefighters damage to the surrounding area was prevented — but the structure was a total loss Pismo Beach police ask anyone with information on this incident to contact the department The department can be reached at (805) 773-2208 Pismo Beach has a new addition to its already vibrant community A mural has been painted on the wall of a local business It features a giant clam on a surfboard riding waves as the surf crashes toward the city's iconic pier "Just how bright it was," said Harry Fayter "I love the clam with the little tongue sticking out and they did a very good job on it," Fayter continued "[It] portrays what Pismo really is — which is surf and clams and fun." A student from Pismo Beach has earned national recognition for a special feat: the best handwriting by a third grader on the West Coast a third-grade student at Coastal Christian School was recently named a regional winner of the Zaner-Blosser National Handwriting Contest a competition that celebrates the best in manuscript and cursive penmanship Officials say the competition is the most recognized handwriting contest in the country more than 2.75 million students have participated since 1991 Johnson went up against thousands of other students who entered the 34-year-old contest Johnson told KSBY that she loves writing because it feels more special than other forms of communication you can actually tell it's from the heart because you're not typing it and you're writing it if I were to write one to my dad or to my grandparents or to my mom that would be better than just having a computer where I can go and just type it makes it a little more thoughtful and personal," Johnson said the local student will receive an engraved medallion recognizing her achievement Pismo Beach is packed with tourists — even the recent grey skies are not keeping people away And local business owners say the tourists bring in a lot of business around this time of year They say that business is beginning to pick up again "It's kind of hit or miss during the off-season," said Shaheen "It's definitely been slower but the last couple of days have been extremely busy; we're happy about that." One of the main reasons for the increased business is that many tourists are making a trip to the Central Coast for spring break And despite concerns over tariffs and inflation it didn’t seem to be impacting travelers or businesses "Today we just did a day trip for spring break," said the Booth family "I think a lot of people are coming out to go on a little trip because it's spring break why wouldn't you want to go?" said Addison Garcia who is on spring break from her school in Visalia so we thought we'd come out and enjoy it a little bit," said Alex Geiger who is visiting with his family from Bakersfield The majority of the tourists who spoke with KSBY were visiting from the valley "It was a lot busier than we expected with the colder weather; we thought it would run some people off they say the cooler temperatures didn't deter people at all and all of their customers were in good spirits when they came back "The one thing we really like about our business is that it puts a smile on people's faces they're so happy and so relaxed and they've had a great time," said Shaheen At Tuesday night's Pismo Beach City Council meeting the council passed two resolutions that will allow the city to apply for state-funded loans to fund the Central Coast Blue Project The project is intended to create a new water supply for the Five Cities community Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach pulled out of the project it's hard to move forward," said Jorge Garcia "What we are looking to do is apply for a state-revolving fund loan whereas our existing loan that we can get from the federal government through an EPA loan would be north of 6% interest," Garcia said He adds that interest for the prospective state loan would be 1.8% to 1.9% Four people spoke out about the project during the council meeting we don't want a sewer plant in our town to compensate Pismo that has 100,000 people on a busy weekend where we don't have that We don't even need the water," said Brenda Auer She spoke on behalf of residents in Grover Beach where the proposed water purification facility would be built She and the others told the council that if the project should move forward the city needs to do a better job with outreach to the impacted areas "The neighborhoods don't know what's happening Your constituents need to know the project is not in Pismo Beach in their neighborhoods," said another Grover Beach resident but the infrastructure is going into the city of Grover and Oceano So the outreach to those cities has not been completed They don't really know that there's going to be a potential wastewater treatment plant in their backyard," said one public commenter Garcia said the project is still only in the planning stages "The original project proposed for Central Coast Blue was a 1,000 acre feat of annual production We are looking at a project that is 300-acre feat from a scaled-down project the first thing that we have to evaluate is financial feasibility," said Garcia While the resolutions passed at Tuesday night's city council meeting it does not mean the project is moving forward The city council will have to meet and discuss any next steps that may be taken Researchers are investigating a pygmy sperm whale that recently washed up on Pismo Beach– a rare sight on the California coast California State Parks spotted the 10.5-foot whale on early Valentine's Day morning and alerted the Marine Mammal Center Scientists and volunteers from the Center and Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit responded performing a necropsy– or animal autopsy– to determine the cause of death Aliah Meza with the Marine Mammal Center in San Luis Obispo said the whale had minor skin abrasions but the reason it stranded remains unclear Researchers collected tissue samples for further analysis “Since this species usually is found offshore the California Coast there isn't a lot known about them,” Meza said the samples will definitely provide a lot of information for the future.” Meza said test results should be available in a few weeks The last reported pygmy sperm whale stranding in California was in 2021 the Spyglass Inn Restaurant has been more than just a scenic spot for customers It's just amazing," said Debi Burdman-Deutsch it's like everybody knows your name," said Linda McGinley "It's a friendly place where people love to come.” "They’ve been taking care of me since [the] late '90s here through Pismo and being a guy who lives in Shell Beach it's good to have good people that take care of you," said Leo Savalan the restaurant has reached the end of its lease and staff say the owners are choosing not to renew as they head into retirement "They have grandbabies and they just want to spend all their time with them and just love life," Burdman-Deutsch said Her last day on the job this week was emotional “I have cried a lot and I'm getting teary-eyed now,” Hannah said and what better to get out of the house and stare at the ocean all day and talk to people?" there’s no word yet on the future of the restaurant space A staircase connecting the community of Shell Beach and the coastline below is in jeopardy of being torn down a storm put the Pier Avenue staircase out of commission the Pismo Beach Planning Commission has been trying to find funding for the repairs the commission voted 5-0 on a coastal development permit to keep the staircase closed The city now has the option to demolish the stairs It's an option that longtime Shell Beach homeowner Tom Israel hopes isn't taken "People are still going down there," he said "I see people are going down all the time because it's the beach I know there's grant money out there so If they can keep that option open and keep our beach access open." The Planning Commission says it is still looking at ways to fund repairs or other alternatives for a path to the beach A man was sentenced in San Luis Obispo on Wednesday for the attempted murder of a police officer in Pismo Beach 50-year-old Charles Nelson Ammons has been sentenced to 12 years plus 15 years to life in state prison for his conviction of premeditated attempted murder of a peace officer with a gun and resisting a peace officer by use of force Pismo Beach Police Corporal Chris Siglin was reportedly on uniformed motorcycle patrol when he attempted to stop Ammon’s van for making an illegal turn in the busy downtown corridor of Pismo Beach When Corporal Siglin pulled his motorcycle next to Ammons’ van and opened the driver-side door authorities report that Ammons immediately and without warning pointed a semi-automatic handgun at the head of Corporal Siglin and pulled the trigger The firearm did not go off because the bullets had been loaded backward in the magazine of the gun Corporal Siglin and Pismo Beach Police Officer Tyler Smith were reportedly able to wrestle Ammon to the ground before two off-duty Santa Maria Police officers in the area helped them take Ammons into custody The 50-year-old was convicted of the crimes after a second jury trial the jury convicted Ammons of assault on a peace officer with a semi-automatic firearm possession of a non-registered loaded firearm in a vehicle and driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level exceeding .20% while having two prior convictions for DUI the District Attorney says the jury was unable to reach a unanimous guilty verdict on the attempted murder and felony resisting charges Dow elected to re-try Ammons on those charges the jury also found several aggravating factors true The factors include that the crimes involved great violence or threat of great bodily harm the defendant used a weapon when he committed the crimes the victim officer was particularly vulnerable and the defendant engaged in violent conduct that indicated a serious danger to society “Our community owes Officer Chris Siglin a debt of gratitude for his selfless service to our community,” said District Attorney Dan Dow in a press release  “I am grateful that this defendant has received what is essentially a life sentence in prison today Law enforcement professionals are our neighbors and family members who deserve our continual support and respect Ammons is set to appear in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court on March 24 to determine the amount of restitution he owes for his crimes With much of the Central Coast experiencing pleasant weather this weekend many locals are choosing to spend the small window between Christmas and New Year's enjoying the outdoors KSBY went out to Pismo Beach on Saturday morning to talk with visitors about the weather and their holiday break plans a yoga instructor with Community Yoga by the Shore told KSBY that her outdoor class on Saturday was met with comfortable temperatures And I know this time of year it can be a little bit colder but I didn't really need to layer up today," KJ said says he feels fortunate to live in a place that so many people choose as their vacation spot and we just enjoy it down here," Bogle said We live right here in the vacation destination Before heading outside this week, you can check out the local conditions on KSBY's Microclimate Weather page Charles "Chuck" Fortner was found in Oceano near 22nd Street and the Arroyo Grande Creek He was responsive and unharmed but was transported to a local hospital for evaluation Fortner has since been reunited with his family – The Pismo Beach Police Department is asking for public aid finding a man who walked away from his downtown Pismo Beach home Sunday Charles "Chuck" Fortner left home wearing a white T-shirt Fortner may be in the Oceano area though he is very shy and will avoid large crowds Fortner is also dealing with early onset Alzheimer's and is without his hearing aids Those who have seen Chuck or have any other information in finding him are urged to call the PBPD When trouble pops up in Pismo Beach waters the Pismo Beach Fire Department/CAL FIRE is on the call we rescue 30-100 people a year and that’s people that are unable to come ashore and would not be able to come ashore," said Fire Battalion Chief Paul Lee the fire department held a training session with their water rescue team Rescue swimmers performed a mock save attempt “This is a great opportunity for them to practice going through the surf and honing their skills as the beaches slowly get more crowded as the weather gets nicer,” Lee said There’s a lot that can go wrong during rescues so the rescue swimmers have to stay alert to what's going on around them “We’re always reading the water because it’s always moving That’s why you’ll never see us sitting down on the [jet] ski — always standing so we can control it," explained one of the swimmers If you’re planning to spend any time in the ocean They really are there for your protection," he said Lee says the summer is their busiest time of the year for rescues the SLO CAL Open has been taking place in both Morro Bay and Pismo Beach and the event has become an important stop for surfers trying to advance in the World Surf League Ventura surfer Cory Arrambide won the inaugural World Surf League Pismo Beach Open “That was a great event for me," Arrambide recalled "It was my first like QS win and so it's hard to win of these things because everyone's so good it was only a Qualifying Series 1,000-point event it’s worth 3,000 points and includes juniors and women it's inspiring for younger kids to have a platform to get some points to go on the qualifying tour,” Arrambide said it’s bigger than ever with more than 40 surfers on the wait list World Surf League tour manager Brian Robbins has seen the growth since day one “Now we're hosting over 200 competitors over seven days," Robbins explained For veterans like Arrambide or young up-and-comers it’s one of the last North American Qualifying Series tournaments to earn enough points this season to move up the ladder to the Challenger Series “It's really important to get these points this week for them and then it sets up the final event with 5,000 points to qualify,” Robbins stated It's everything for surfers,” Arrambide added surf conditions are expected to be mild with offshore winds there are opportunities for 8-12 foot waves “We've been lucky with this amazing summer-like weather in January.. There's a bit more surf,” Robbins concluded The man charged with a deadly stabbing in Pismo Beach earlier this month entered a not guilty in court on Monday The incident left locals in Pismo Beach shaken described his feelings following the murder "He was an overall good person," Teraboa said "I think everybody in the whole town knows him and has nothing bad to say about him.” Andrew Rodriguez of Santa Maria was charged with murder in connection with Perez’s death and is being held without bail told KSBY after Monday’s hearing that his client and the victim both worked at Guiseppe’s restaurant in Pismo Beach and were friends Funke-Bilu added that there's still much to uncover in the case there's a lot of discovery that still has not been provided," Funke-Bilu said We need to know what the cause of death was.” a memorial remains up outside his home in Pismo Beach as the community continues to grieve A GoFundMe to help Perez’s family cover funeral expenses has raised more than $30,000 closed the day after his death to pay respects